Trooper fired after Braves trainer's wife killed

ATLANTA -- The state trooper involved in a New Year's Eve crash that killed the wife of Atlanta Braves trainer Jeff Porter has been fired, Georgia's public safety commissioner said.

Trooper Donald Crozier was terminated Friday, Col. Mark W. McDonough said in a statement.

McDonough said the investigation is continuing into the Dec. 31 crash that claimed the life of Kathy Porter in downtown Atlanta. Her husband and two others were injured.

The trooper's vehicle had all its emergency equipment activated and ran a red light while responding to assist another trooper who was involved in a pursuit, according to an accident report released Friday.

The trooper "failed to use due regard when traveling through the intersection," the report stated.

Porter, his wife and son and a friend were on their way to the Chick-fil-A-Bowl when the collision happened around 4:40 p.m. Saturday.

State Patrol officials said the trooper, who had been traveling westbound on Memorial Drive, was going to assist another trooper who was attempting to stop a motorcyclist on nearby Interstate 20, west of the Downtown Connector. The motorcyclist had failed to yield, authorities said at the time.

The trooper collided with the Ford Expedition driven by Jeff Porter at the intersection of Memorial Drive and Capitol Avenue, authorities said.

Kathy Porter, 54, of Loganville, a passenger in the SUV, died in the crash. Jeff Porter and two other passengers in the SUV- the couple's 19-year-old son David and a friend, Courtney Ann Williams, 18, of Grayson - were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital for treatment of injuries.